Sumitomo Osaka Cement to resume Tochigi operations, Japan

13 May 2011

Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co will resume production on Saturday at its Tochigi Prefecture factory where operations had been suspended due to radioactive contamination of materials, the company said Thursday.

The plant in the city of Sano was shut down May 2 after radioactive cesium released from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility was found in sewage sludge used to make cement.

After testing cement produced and shipped after the March 11 disaster, the product was determined safe based on standards drawn up by the Land Ministry, according to the firm. Sumitomo Osaka Cement has decided not to use sludge from sewage treatment plants in Fukushima Prefecture for the time being.